Flexible key case



Aug. 17,1926. 1,596,055

cQ LORBER I FLEXIBLEH'KEY CASE P INYENTOR Y gaLonber a xw- ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES CHARLES LQRBER, OF BROOKLYIQT, NEW YORK.

. FLEXIBLE, KEY cAsn. l

'Applieation filed October 28, 1925. Serial No. 65,275.

The main object of this invention is to provide a key case suitable for the storing of keys, having for one of its main objects to provide a simple. and inexpensive article provided with key suspension means pivoted in a support in such a manner that the keys of support elements from which the key re;

will lie flat upon the body of the key case to reduce the bulk of the same that it may be conveniently carried inthe pocket;

Another object is to provide a key case" hav ng a 'suspenslon hook or ring so constructed-as to prevent thekey from becoming inadvertently disengaged fromthe ring.

Still another object is to provide a key case' constructed in such manner that the same is entirely flexible thruout its width, so that it may-readily bend to conform to its comfortable storage in the pocket.

The above and other objects will become apparent in the description below, in which characters of reference refer tolike-named wardly and at the lower end of the'stem, a

parts in the drawing.

Referring briefly to the drawing. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the key case in partly opened position. I

Figure 2 is a artly sectioned front eleva tional view of t e preferred type of key retainer unit. U Figure 3 is a side elevationalview of Figure 2 i 1.

'Figure i -is a sectional elevational view thrufa portion of the key case, showing the I means of attaching the key retainer units flexibly to the body of'the key case.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate modified forms of-key suspension rings.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the

numeral 10 indicates'the back of the key case on which the key retainer units are mounted.- The back of the key case has a er,'i's mounted bybeing stitched thereto, as p illustrated n14. Slits 15. areprovided in the; strip of leather. 14 and these slits are spaced-apart and extend adistance of ap-' roximately half the width of the strip. he materialbetween these slits '15 is formed into outwardly projecting loops 16, the loops being adapted 13016081176 eyeletsl? formed of an integral piece tainer rings are suspended. The rings 17 are first slipped over the loops 16 and then the bottom edge of the strip. 14 is secured to the back 10. After these loops 16 are formed, the bottom edge of the strip 14 is secured to the body 10 of the key case by a row of stitching 18. The eyelets 17 of the key support elements each'consists of a pair of rings 18 and 19 which are secured integrally together face to face. Each of these rings has an ear 20 extending'from one position. a The ears are bent at right angles in opposite directions to one another, as illustrated in Figure 3, and have a hemi-spherical housing 21 attachedthereto in which the heads 22 of the key suspension rings are rotatably fixed. These key suspension rings are formed essentially of a unitary piece of wire circular in cross section, and'have an annular head,- such as 22, formed atone end. From the head, the main stem 23 issuspendeddownsemi-cir'cular curve orbend 24: is formed. This bend 21 forms the lower-portion of an elliptical loop 25 which is smaller; at the top than at the bottom and the end '26 opposite to the head 22 is curled helically to lie adjacent the stem 23 and in contact therewith. Y The end 26 courses. downwardly and immediately below it, a ridge 27 is formed by bending the stem 23 below the end 26 into the loop 25, providing a hump so that a key such as 28, when in the loop 25, will bedeflected away from the end 26 in order to prevent the key from becoming disengaged or removed inadvertently out of the loop.

In Figures 5 and 6, modified type of suspension rings are shown. Figure 5 illustrates a suspension ring having a head 28 formed similarto the head 22 of the preferred form of suspension ring. A stem 29 extends downwardly from the head 28, and at a position intermediate its length,is formed into a partial curve, providingan off-set extension 30, having a return bend 31 at its lower end, and then extending upwardly as an additional extension 32, which latter extends arallel to member 30'and has a semi-circular or half bend'at its upper end so that the extreme end 33 i of the extension 32 courses downwardly to form a loop 34:.v The suspension ring, illustrated in Figure 6, also has a head 35 and a straight stem36 with a loop 37 formed by providing a large return bend 38 at its lower end and j a; smaller return bend 39 at its upper end, which smaller bend to further the purposes of these inventions.

I propose to provide a strip of yieldable material which ordinarily lies flat and may be bent to conform to the shape of the pocket or the body when the key case is inserted in the pocket. This is taken care of by providing the flexible strip 14. Each of the units from which individual keys are suspended is separate and distinct from one another. Such separation is made possible by providing the strip '14 with loops 16 in which the eyelet 17, forming the anchoring means for the support elements of the keys, is movably secured. The hemispherical housings 21 forming part of the eyelets 17 are slitted at some position and spread apart to permit the stems 23 of the key suspension rings to be inserted. After the heads 22, 28, or 35, according to the type of suspension ring being used, is inserted into the housing 21, the latter is bent to close the slitted portion in order to retain the head of the suspension ring permanently in place in the housing. The eyelet 17, housing 21, and a suspension ring of any of the types desired, form a complete unit upon which a key maybe suspended and are individually manipulated so that neither of the other units in the key case is disturbed. These units may be individually swung a distance of 180 degrees from the suspended position shown in Figure 1, to an upright position 180 degrees above the suspended position. The suspension rings are long enough to permit one of the units when swung to the vertical position 180 degrees from the suspended position, to project out of the end edge of the key case sothat the key attached to this particular ring may be used to advantage while the other keys are securely housed between the back 10 and closed flaps 11 and 12 of the key case.

' Keys are inserted into the loops 25,34, or 37, of the suspension rings by slipping the I opening at the head of a key over the ends 26 by spreading these ends away from and out of-contact with the stem 23 to which the ends lie adjacent. The keys are readily attached to the suspension rings in this manner, but sometimes the keys are inadvertently detached from the rings, which is caused by the key case lying in a peculiar position in the pocket so that .in some unfor- 23, said key would ride upon the "ridge or hump 27 and would be deflected away from the end 26, thus preventing the key at any time from coming into engagement with the end 26 of the loop 25.

I claim 1. A key case comprising a flexible back having flexible side flaps integral therewith, a flexible strip extendin widthwise near one end of the back an, stitched to and rigid. with said back, said strip being slitted half way across its width, loops formed between said slitted" portions, eyelets secured. in said loops, a hemi-spherical housing secured to said eyelets, and elliptical ring-S suspended from said housing.

2. A key case comprising a flexible back having flexible side flaps integral therewith, a flexible strip extending widthwise near one end of the back, said strip being slitted half way across its width, loops formed between said slitted portions, key retainer units comprising a pair of rings secured face to face, ears extending oppositely fromsaid rings, housings secured to said ears, and longitudinal elliptical looped additional rings rotatably suspended from said housmgs.

3. A key case comprising'a flexible back having flexible side flaps integral therewith, a flexible strip extending widthwise near one end of the back, said strip being slitted half way across its width, loops formed between said slitted portions, key retainer units comprising a pair of rings secured face I to face, ears extendlng oppositely from said rings, housings secured to said ears, additional rings suspended from said housingscomprising a stem, a head on said stem, said head being rotatably mounted within the housing and an elliptical loop formed at the lower end of said stem, the end of said loop being coiled helically to lie in contact with the stem adjacentthereto, and means for guiding a key away from the end of the loop.

4- A key case comprising a flexible back having flexible side flaps integraltherewith,

a flexible strip extending widthwise near" one end of the back, said strip being slitted half way across its width, loops'formed between said slitted portions, key retainer units comprising a pair of rings secured face to face, ears extending oppositely from said rings, housings secured to said ears, .addi tional rings suspended from saidhousings Comprising a stem, a head on said stem, said head being rotatably mounted within the housing and an elliptical loop formed at the lower end of said stem, the end of said loop being coiled helically to lie in contact with the stem adjacent thereto, means for guiding a key away from the end of the loop comprising a ridge formed by bending the stem beneath the end of the loop, said ridge providing a hump extending into the loop, and the hump being adapted to deflect the course of a key in being moved upwardly away from the end of the loop.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES LORBER. 

